Zlotnik Family Gift Establishes Endowed Professorship to Advance the Future of Sports Medicine
Rehal A. Bhojani, MD
Rehal A. Bhojani, MD, FAAFP, CAQSM, named inaugural professor as endowed gift strengthens physician education, research and innovation at UTHealth Houston.
The future of medicine depends on the physicians who will lead it—and the investments that help prepare them. Building on a longstanding commitment to advancing education across The University of Texas System, Marcie and Bob Zlotnik are now helping prepare the next generation of sports medicine physicians at UTHealth Houston (external link).
Their gift establishes the Zlotnik Family Professorship in Sports Medicine, an endowed faculty position within the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston. Through this professorship, they provide permanent support for physician education, research and innovation while preparing the next generation of leaders in sports medicine.
Rehal A. Bhojani, MD, a board-certified family medicine physician, nationally recognized sports medicine educator and physician leader, has been named the inaugural holder of the professorship.
“Endowed professorships represent one of the most meaningful investments in an academic medical center because their impact extends far beyond a single faculty member,” said Walter R. Lowe, MD, professor and Edward T. Smith Endowed Chair of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery.
“The Zlotnik Family Professorship is an investment in the future of sports medicine. Rehal has dedicated his career to educating physician leaders, building innovative programs and advancing patient care through collaboration. He is uniquely suited to carry this vision forward, and we are profoundly grateful to Marcie and Bob Zlotnik for their extraordinary generosity in making this lasting investment possible,” Lowe said.
“I am deeply honored to begin this next chapter,” Bhojani said. “I look forward to working alongside our outstanding faculty, trainees, staff, institutional partners and supporters to continue advancing sports medicine through education, discovery, collaboration and compassionate care. Together, we have an opportunity to shape not only the future of our fellowship, but the future of sports medicine itself.”
Inspired by Excellence
For Marcie and Bob Zlotnik, the professorship reflects a belief that lasting success is built by investing in people.
Graduates of The University of Texas at Austin, the Zlotniks built distinguished careers in the service industry, where they credit teamwork, creative problem-solving and an unwavering commitment to service as the foundation of their success. Those same values inspired their investment in academic medicine.
“This gift is inspired by Dr. Bhojani, who exemplifies this spirit in the medical profession,” the Zlotniks said. “We are excited to support continued excellence at UTHealth Houston in the field of primary care sports medicine.”
Ultimately, the Zlotnik Family Professorship represents more than recognition of one physician—it is an investment in the generations of physicians, patients, and communities who will benefit from his work.
Endowed professorships provide permanent resources that strengthen education, foster innovation and create opportunities that extend well beyond a single career.
Investing in the Future of Sports Medicine
Throughout his career, Bhojani has built programs, developed physician leaders and forged partnerships that connect academic medicine with athletics at every level.
As program director of the UTHealth Houston Sports Medicine Fellowship, he has helped educate the next generation of sports medicine physicians while expanding training in musculoskeletal ultrasound, event medicine, physician leadership, sports performance and evidence-based musculoskeletal care. Under his leadership, the fellowship continues to prepare physicians who care for athletes and active individuals in communities across the country.
As associate professor in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery and associate professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at McGovern Medical School, Bhojani bridges academic medicine with the care of athletes at every level.
His leadership extends beyond the academic medical center. He serves as chief medical officer for Houston Dynamo FC and Houston Dash and as medical director of the University of Houston Master of Athletic Training program, collaborating with physicians, athletic trainers, therapists, sports scientists and emergency medical professionals to advance athletes’ health through education, innovation and team-based care.
“While this professorship recognizes past accomplishments, I view it primarily as an investment in the future,” Bhojani said. “It represents a lasting legacy centered on education, innovation, collaboration and the advancement of sports medicine.”
A Vision into Excellence
His vision is to elevate the Sports Medicine Fellowship to one of the nation’s premier training programs—one recognized not only for producing exceptional physicians but also for leaders in academic medicine, professional sports, community health, research and medical education.
Through the professorship, Bhojani aims to expand the fellowship’s reach beyond Houston by creating new educational opportunities, strengthening research collaborations and fostering partnerships with leading health systems, universities and professional sports organizations. As a result, he believes those investments will further establish UTHealth Houston as a national leader in sports medicine education, research, and innovation.
Central to that vision is preparing physicians who understand that excellence in sports medicine extends beyond individual patient encounters. Tomorrow’s leaders must understand systems of care, communicate effectively across disciplines, embrace innovation responsibly and remain steadfast advocates for patient-centered medicine.
“Ultimately, I hope the legacy of the Zlotnik Family Professorship will not be defined by one individual,” Bhojani said. “Rather, it will be measured by the physicians we train, the patients we serve, the partnerships we cultivate and the innovations that improve lives for generations to come.”